Vinyl Labels Tutorial, Silhouette Promo & Cameo Giveaway!

Greetings, friends! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. Mine was super special in that I got to journey to Atlanta, Georgia for Haven, a blog conference for d.i.y. bloggers. You can look out for my recap post in the coming days!

But man-o-man, do I have some exciting news for you this morning: starting today, Silhouette is running a special promotion on vinyl and Cameo bundles. Also, I’ve got a brand new giveaway for y’all, but this time, instead of a Portrait machine, we’re upping the ante and giving away a Cameo. {Cue screams of joy…NOW.} I know, I know. It’s uh-ma-zing.

Vinyl Labels Tutorial

First, I wanted to share a quick tutorial with you all. Vinyl is one of my favorite mediums to work with for both home decor and practical items…like labels! When I recently tackled the mammoth project of organizing our front hall closet, I decided that my Rubbermaid Organizers needed some labels to help keep things in order…but not just any old labels, some custom vinyl labels. My Silhouette Cameo was up for the task!

Here’s the how-to, so you can see how easy this process is:

The Step-by-Step

Step 1. Design your labels. First, I opened up Silhouette Studio and created some labels in two different sizes to accommodate my differently sized Organizers. Because I have the Designer Edition software, I was able to use the rhinestone function to add some dots around the ovals for some added flair (I did this by adding a second oval inside the bigger one and selected the “edge” option). My font of choice, Marmellata Jam, was inspired by these labels by The House on Hillbrook.

Although you may not find a use for the particular label titles I used, feel free to download my complimentary cut file from box.com by clicking on the image below; you can ungroup the shape and add your own text after downloading the free font. Or maybe you, too, have a closet full of candles, school supplies, batteries, and lightbulbs that need organizing! [Fine print: This design is for personal use and not to be used for commercial purposes.]

Step 2. Cut your vinyl. Since our closet is darker, I chose white vinyl to really stand out on the clear front doors of our Organizers. When loading your vinyl directly from the roll, make sure the vinyl is properly centered on the rollers (you might need to readjust the rollers). Follow the cut settings recommended in Silhouette Studio, and let your machine work its magic.

Just imagine this with white vinyl! #forgetfulphotographer

Step 3. Weed your vinyl. This is usually a really easy process using the hook tool. You just pull away the excess vinyl and leave your label on the sheet. However, I quickly learned that weeding out all the tiny little dots I had created was going to take an eternity. Then, I had a brief moment of genius and decided to use a scrap of transfer paper to help pick up the tiny dots, and it worked quite well! It definitely save me some time.

Step 4. Apply transfer paper to your vinyl labels. I cut out my transfer paper to cover each individual label, using the red grid-lines as a size-guide. Then, I used a scissor to rub over the transfer tape to ensure a solid stick between the vinyl and the transfer paper. Next, I peeled the blue vinyl backing away, ensuring that the vinyl was stuck to the transfer paper.

This was my first time using transfer paper (I’ve always used the inexpensive alternative…contact paper). While contact paper works in a pinch, I learned that transfer paper is 10x easier!

Step 5. Apply your labels to your surface. If you want to be really precise, you can use a strip of painter’s tape on the top of your transfer paper to ensure your label is centered correctly, but I just decided to throw caution to the wind and “eye” it. Because vinyl sticks so well to plastic, I only needed to rub my scissor edge on the transfer paper a few times to makes sure the label had adhered to the Organizer. Then, I peeled off the transfer tape, and voila! The Organizer was labeled!

And here they are in action, in our newly organized hall closet:

For the baskets that did not have a plastic surface, I cut some oval pieces of chipboard using my Silhouette, painted them black using acrylic paint, and applied my vinyl labels to the chipboard. Then, I used hot glue to adhere the labels to the baskets.

I’m banking on these labels to help us maintain organization in this closet after investing the time and sweat into organizing them in the first place. Also, in the event that we have guests staying at our house, labels will help them find what they need and return it to its proper place…who am I kidding, it will help us when we get forgetful!

Special Promotion

If you’re a vinyl junkie like I am, then you’ll be excited to hear that all Silhouette vinyl, transfer paper, and stencil vinyl is b.o.g.o. (by one, get one free) right now! This is part of a special promotion that runs from today through Wednesday, August 14th.

Also, if you’re in the market for a Silhouette Cameo, they’re offering a special right now. For $269.99, you get the machine plus 2 rolls of vinyl (chalkboard and white) plus 1 roll of transfer paper. That’s a $329.96 value. Sweet, right?

If you’re curious about the difference between the Cameo and the Portrait, here’s the deal: the Portrait has a smaller cutting area than the Cameo and does not have an LCD screen or SD card compatibility, but otherwise, they share the same cutting abilities and features. For specs., the Cameo boasts a cutting area that is 12″ wide, which is great for cutting larger pieces of vinyl or scrapbook paper. I have a Cameo myself and quite fanatical about it (if you haven’t noticed already).

By visiting the Silhouette Promo page (click here) and using the code CLOSET, you have access to these deals:

Buy one get one free deals on all Silhouette vinyl (includes transfer paper and stencil vinyl)

Click HERE to access the Silhouette deals running today through next Wednesday, August 14th.

Cameo Giveaway!

It’s time for another Silhouette Giveaway, but this time, of the Cameo varie-tay!

Share this image to earn extra entries!

Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below and gain up to 11 entries today. This giveaway runs through 11:59 pm Sunday, August 11th…and you can come back every day from now until then and gain 5 more entries per day by sharing the giveaway on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. {Want you all to be able to maximize your winning potential because I heart you like that.} And be sure to stop back on Monday when I’ll announce the winner to see if it’s your name that the Rafflecopter widget spits out.

[Fine print: This giveaway is open to anyone with a U.S. shipping address, 18 years of age and older. Be sure to check out the rest of the giveaway terms and conditions in the Rafflecopter widget below.]a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Giveaways, Please!

Looking for more giveaway goodness? Don’t forget that I’m also holding a MOO Business Card giveaway for 3 lucky winners right now. Click here to enter that one before it ends at at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, August, 7th.

Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post; however, I received free product for review. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase using my code, I receive a small commission. Please rest assured that as always, I only recommend products that I use and love. And gosh darn it, I do genuinely love my Silhouette Cameo!

Glad you put yourself in the mix, Christine! (And by the by, I heard from your bloggy buddy who emailed me that you refer to me as “The Silhouette Whisperer.” Not sure if those were your exact words, but if they were, they cracked me up. I literally laughed out loud when I read that. And sat a little taller in my chair. Ha ha.)

Welcome back! Can’t wait to see the tips you’ll bring back from the Haven conference. I hope to be able to attend next year. I’m back to blogging again and want to begin doing paper crafts this fall and winter. Back in 2010, I purchased the Cricut Expression and soon became disillioned because I refused to spend tons of money on all the cartridges (when only one or two images interested me). So, I’ve barely used the machine. I’m considering selling it on ebaby for a son! What machine do you recommend in the Silloutte category? It’s inspiring that I can come here for tutorials on how to use. Your suggestions?

So glad you’re back in the blogging races again, Sandy! And it’s true, the major downside to the Cricut and major upside to the Silhouette is the cartridges issue. The deal on the Portrait is pretty sweet considering the value you’re getting, but in general, people say that if you can swing the price of a Cameo, do it. It really is nice having the capability of cutting 12 x 12 pieces, especially when it comes to paper crafting. But truth be told, there aren’t many other downsides to the Portrait than the smaller cutting area. And of course, if you got a Silhouette, I’d HAVE to add you to my Silhouette FB group, so we could hang out together there. You’d be flooded with inspiration and ideas from all the gals in the group, let me tell ya!

Okay, I’m jealous now! not only did you get to go to HAVEN, you have a Silhouette, but you can also get to make your own cute labels Yep, very jealous now! I’m so happy that you got to HAVEN and meet bloggers, too bad I live so far away! will you be posting about it, I would love to read about your HAVEN experience? hope you are having a great week Lauren!

There’s a blog conference coming up in Canada, I hear! Blog Podium, I believe. I know Thalita and Alex are going. Any chance you’ll be there? And you betcha I had to post about my time at Haven. How could I not share all of the exciting things I learned and people I met with my dear readers? Hope you had a great weekend, Ingrid.

I hope you had a wonderful venture to Haven! I bet you are still trying to organize all your new ideas and skills…what a great sounding conference! I am looking forward to reading all your shared stories!

Love your labels. I like that you made them into an oval. So you like the transfer paper, huh? I knew you would be hooked. Since it’s on sale, I’d better get some. Man, this isn’t a cheap hobby. I better get to crocheting to pay for my habit.

Thank you for the great giveaway. I have wanted to try one of these out for a long time. I currently have a Cricut but am wondering if the Silhouette is a better machine. Can you use your own designs and fonts with the Silhouette? With the Cricut you have to purchase their cartridges.

With the Silhouette, you purchase designs from the Studio store. If you want to tour it, you can window shop before you buy! After finding the Silhouette, I would NEVER move to Cricut. Cartridges are so limiting! With the Designer Edition you can even design your own cuts, print and cuts, and rhinestone designs! Also, ANY (well, almost any, we’ve run into hiccups with a few) font you download to your computer, will load up into Studio, and you can use it!! I’ve got close to 300 fonts…

I would use the labels to organize all my baby stuff – bottles, nipples, clothing, bibs, etc.. Long list. Really, really really hope I win.. There is so much I would do with a Silhouette!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the Ikea Expedit shelves in my craft room (love them) and would love to make vinyl labels for the little cubbies so I remember what items are stowed away there. I have boxes and baskets in the cubbies so I always have to pull them out to remember what’s in there.

Lauren, I can’t wait to see your recap of the conference. I am really planning on going next year. I did find a conference in Orlando in September for Florida bloggers I am going to attend. Are you attending? Anyhoo I have never used one of these but I really want to! I am thinking I could organize my food panty! Hope your day is great! Sandra The Adored Home

I could use some labels on ME!! Announcing that I am the winner – wish wish wish. I would do that and take a picture just so you would know I am true to my word!! I would just love to win – JUST ONCE!!!

Hang in there, Karen! I NEVER win stuff, and then last fall, I won an epically huge giveaway at Lil Blue Boo that rocked my world for several months. Here’s to hoping the same will be for you! (And you cracked me up with the idea of labels on yourself. I feel like I need that, too, sometimes!)

I could really use this! My fiancé and I were supposed to get married this October and we lost our home in the May 20th Tornado that effected Oklahoma. We lost all of our wedding stuff so we are getting to start over. We can’t afford to pay for it all over again so now I am trying to make everything I can for our wedding. I have watched so many tutorials on the Silhouette and I know that if I had one I could make almost all of my wedding stuff. Thanks for the giveaway!

How great you have another give-away of a Cameo and also the labels you made–so kind to give them for free! I also was mesmerized by your little video (a gif?) of you putting on a label. You’ll have to teach us/me sometime how to upload that. Great tutorial and all the best to whomever wins the give-away. Also, looking forward to your post(s) about the Haven Conference whenever you have time to do that (after shark week?). Love, love!!

It’ SUPER easy to make your own gif! Just use this free site: http://gickr.com/ And it works best if you use a tripod, so your camera stays in the same place for all the photos, but it’s not necessary!

I have drawers and boxes of kids craft and school supplies, right now it’s impossible to remember where everything is so I just have to get new supplies even though I know that I already have some somewhere!

There are so very many ways I could use this CAMEO (fabulous giveaway, btw). We moved to Michigan less than a year ago and I’m trying to organize seasonal decorations, our pantry, and establish a sewing/crafting/office space so I could use it so many ways in these places. I also have a handful of projects I haven’t even started because I need the perfect craft machine to complete them (the wall art / canvas I’m making for my niece). I’m also getting married in less than a year and there are quite a few DIY projects that I would like to complete and I think the CAMEO would be ideal. Finally, I’m a teacher so there are literally endless possibilities for how to use this in the classroom. Keeping my fingers crossed!! Thank you. Xo

I would love to make labels for my kitchen. I love the large glass containers that I have seen on Pinterest that has Flour, Sugar, etc on them. Or even in the laundry room that have detergent, fabric softener. So many ideas!

Okay! So I did not win last time you did this . . . . So here it is again! I will send you my addy when ever you are ready! LOL I am doing the same thing! But I am painting the closets before I organize them, Your label is prefect! Now I just need the machine!! Fingers and toes and my dogs toes crossed!!

Good thinking, Kathryn! I never had a Silhouette when I was teaching in the classroom, but it’d be great for creating categories for the board (like classwork, homework, date, agenda, etc.) to avoid having to rewrite them all the time.

My family is now Vegan, so I have lots of “new” spices, beans, rice, spice blends, ect. that I keep in mason jars. So it would make it so much easier on the family to cook on their own if everything was labeled properly!!!!!!! FINGERS CROSSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first project, should I EVER win a Silhouette (and believe me I enter on every possible opportunity) will be a WallArt gift for my brother. I owe him so much and would love to be able to help him decorate his new home in some way.

We do a lot of crafts and have many totes that aren’t labeled. This would be great for all those totes. I also make jewelry and this would come in handy for that as well. What an awesome idea and thank you for the opportunity.

My entire house could finally function with vinyl labeling. I am organized to the extent that things are in boxes, crates, etc. I promise myself I will remember what is where, but then I find myself pulling every box and everything out to find what I am looking for. Which then makes me think I am completely chaotically organized (as long as I don’t need anything, LOL) That’s exactly my life!

Honestly, I’d vinyl everything! I’m making some changes in the home and moving things around. Getting more organized. I really could go for labeling and sticking everything. Mainly, I’d like to work on our family portrait wall though!

I love organization!!! I would go to town labeling things in the laundry area, kitchen, and my office. I have lots of photo albums/scrapbooks that could use some label magic as well. I love the photos of your work and your nifty idea to speed up the dot removal process.

EVERYTHING at my work needs custom labeling! Haha. I’m a Youth Services Librarian in a very small public library and I’ve been eyeing the Cameo as a way to prep storytime crafts. I love the idea of using it to create label, which would be great for all the craft supplies I have stored in my office.

Thank you for the tutorial! I just bought the vinyl pack for the Silhouette Cameo and am so excited to try using vinyl! I’m a sort-of newby, and have been hesitant to use anything but paper in my silhouette. BTW, when I bought the vinyl pack, I used your 40% off code – thanks for that!!!

[…] I made these vinyl labels with my Silhouette machine and included the cut files in the same cut file shared above; they feature one of my favorite free fonts, Bebas. To see a step-by-step tutorial on creating and cutting vinyl labels, click HERE. […]

I’m a New York gal putting down new roots in Orlando, Florida with my hubby and our sailboat. My heart skips a beat for all things creative, be it crafting, upcycling, sewing, journaling…especially blogging. If I can make you smile or ignite in you a spark of inspiration, then my job is done here. Won’t you grab a cup of chai, a comfy blanket, and stay a while? {read more...}

let’s connect

Subscribe via email

Email Address

gift-giving eBook

No more last minute stress-outs over Valentine's Day gifts, birthdays, or Christmas. My eBook will help you to come up with the kind of gifts that are simple yet oh so meaningful. Learn more HERE.

reader faves

search

fine print

Unless otherwise stated, all words and photos on this blog are my own and are copyrighted by The Thinking Closet. You may grab 1-2 photos, but do not crop out a watermark, and please provide a link back to this site and ascribe proper credit. I would also appreciate a comment letting me know. Under no circumstances, should the text of this blog or multiple photos be copied and re-posted elsewhere unless you have permission from me to do so.

The Thinking Closet also occasionally features carefully selected sponsored posts and affiliate links. Please refer to my policies page for more information. Thanks.